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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 6h

Yep, and during the long vacation no less

Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 8h

Finally feels like a real Korean autumn. For the last several weeks Seoul had inexplicably tuned into Seattle with gloomy clouds and constant rain.

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 9h

I'm not sure why anybody should take the Unification Ministry seriously if Korean politicians won't. Its absurd that the Yoon administration dissolved bodies for inter-Korean dialogue. Its absurd that the Lee administration is dissolving bodies for human rights.

www.chosun.com/english/nati...

Ministry of Unification Restores Inter-Korean Dialogue Units

Ministry of Unification Restores Inter-Korean Dialogue Units Human Rights Office, Abduction Team Dissolved; Workforce Expands to 600

www.chosun.com

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 10h

Democratic Party introduces a bill to restrict protests that incite discrimination and use hate speech. If the Korean far right is as dangerous as they say, they should think long and hard about how this law will be used when the right returns to power.

www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffai...

Bill to curb anti-China rallies stirs debate over freedom of assembly - The Korea Times

Korea’s ruling party has introduced a new bill that would prohibit rallies considered to promote hate or discrimination, in response to an increase...

www.koreatimes.co.kr

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 10h

Argentinian voters cannot vote out the guy who destroyed their economy or the bailout to save the economy will disappear. Honestly I’m surprised Trump can so consistently find new lows for US foreign policy.

www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...

Trump Administration Live Updates: President Ties Economic Support for Argentina to Coming Elections

www.nytimes.com

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 21h

The Democratic Party is floating the idea of forcefully dissolving the People Power Party as unconstitutional due to its alleged role in martial law. But that won't kill the movement behind the PPP and only opens the DP up to more criticism of itself by tyrannical.

www.chosun.com/english/nati...

Justice Minister Considers People Power Party Dissolution

Justice Minister Considers People Power Party Dissolution Minister Jung to review petition if special counsel confirms partys martial law role

www.chosun.com

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 1d

This was new ground for me. My previous work mainly focused on human rights and security aspects of the alliance. It was my first attempt at analyzing economic relations. Although its a historical case study that I did before the current tensions arose, hopefully there are lessons to be drawn. end

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 1d

The article thus highlights Korean agency in negotiations with the US despite being the junior partner. It also shows the US wouldn't allow trade disputes to undermine a healthy overall relationship despite perhaps being able to push South Korea even further and demands from big tobacco to do so. 3/

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 1d

I mainly argue that, although previous literature as argued the US pressure was overbearing and forced the South Korean market open, South Korea did hold its ground and secured numerous concessions for itself throughout the negotiations. 2/

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 1d

My latest article is finally published: "Paving the Way for the Marlboro Man: Bilateral U.S.-South Korea Negotiations on Liberalizing the South Korean Cigarette Market, 1985–1988." 1/

brill.com/view/journal...

brill.com

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 2d

A shelter for 1,000 people in a city of 10 million. Is this really about defense or a very expensive attempt to hype North Korea as a threat?

koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-10...

Seoul plans nuclear protection shelter beneath Songpa public housing

Seoul is planning to build a civil defense shelter capable of withstanding nuclear and chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) attacks beneath a public housing complex in Songpa District, southern Seoul.

koreajoongangdaily.joins.com

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 2d

Descendants of Japanese commanders during the Imjin War offer apologies for Japan's brutal invasion of Korea. You know there is deep animosity between two countries when an apology for a war over 400 years ago makes the news.

한겨레 @hanibsky.bsky.social · 2d

임진왜란(1592~1598) 때 조선 산하와 백성을 짓밟았던 일본 장수의 후손들이 선조의 만행을 사과했습니다. 1592년 임진왜란이 일어난 뒤 처음 사죄이니 433년 만입니다.

“임진왜란은 참혹한 침략전쟁…선조 잘못 사죄합니다”

“임진왜란은 지옥이었습니다. 수많은 사람이 목숨을 잃은 잔혹한 침략 전쟁에 대해 진심으로 사죄합니다.” 임진왜란(1592~1598) 때 조선 산하와 백성을 짓밟았던 일본 장수의 후손들이 선조의 만행을 사과했다. 1592년 임진왜란이 일어난 뒤 처음 사죄이니 433년 만

www.hani.co.kr

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 2d

North Korea has a law to try and keep English loan words from being used. Meanwhile, South Korea is leading a cultural explosion that is now forcing Korean loan words into the English language.

english.hani.co.kr/arti/english...

From ‘kimbap’ to ‘maknae,’ Oxford English Dictionary sees explosion of Korean loanwords

The lion’s share of terms of Korean origin have been added within the last four years, with a total of 48 Korean loanwords now listed in the OED

english.hani.co.kr

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Reposted by Benjamin A. Engel

masonrichey.bsky.social @masonrichey.bsky.social · 7d

isanet-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

On Nov. 3, I'll be moderating an APEC 2025 retrospective webinar, a partnership of ISA and the Korea International Studies Association. Experts joining: Michelle Lee (WaPo), Peter Ward (Sejong Inst.), and Moamen Gouda (HUFS). Register at link, if interested.

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: APEC Summit 2025 Rundown: Outcomes, Surprises, and the Way Forward. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

Co-sponsored by the Korean International Studies Association. The 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ meeting takes place on Oct. 31-Nov. 1 with the world in economic and political disar...

isanet-org.zoom.us

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 11d

It was great talking with Noah Sneider as he prepared this awesome look at competing views of history in South Korea.

www.economist.com/1843/2025/10...

How two duelling history influencers explain South Korea’s polarised politics

The country’s recent brush with martial law has deep roots

www.economist.com

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 12d

These protests are just as much about actual anti-Chinese sentiment as they are getting the Lee Jae Myung administration to crack down on them to fuel their claims that Lee is authoritarian and China’s man in South Korea. Sounds like Lee is going to oblige them

www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffai...

President orders ministries to stamp out anti-China rallies, citing harm to nat'l image - The Korea Times

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday ordered a crackdown on anti-China rallies in Seoul, saying the demonstrations are tarnishing the nation's image...

www.koreatimes.co.kr

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 14d

Congrats~

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 14d

Another funny thing is, just like Nixon, Trump wouldn't care about democratic backsliding in Korea either. Nixon told Kim Jong Pil in 1972 after Park had declared martial law that "he understood" Park's decision and wouldn't pressure him to return to a democratic constitution. end

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 14d

But in reality it was much more than that. Park knew the people would be angry at the chaebol getting so many benefits he would need a strong hand to keep the protests down. This is why one of his closet advisors on heavy chemical industrialization (HCI) said "Yushin was HCI and HCI was Yushin." 3/

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 14d

This isn't hyperbole either. Park Chung Hee justified his authoritarian Yushin constitution in the name of the weakening of the US security commitment after the announcement of the Nixon doctrine because society needed to be "stable" in the face of communism. 2/

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 14d

Quite the column. Because the American security commitment is weakening we need to deregulate the economy and help the chaebol just like Park Chung Hee. One step away from because the American commitment is weakening we need an authoritarian like Park Chung Hee. 1/

www.chosun.com/opinion/colu...

[선우정 칼럼] 反美는 박정희 대통령처럼

선우정 칼럼 反美는 박정희 대통령처럼 그는 도구적 반미주의를 지혜롭게 쓴 지도자였다 미국을 극복하기 위해 중화학에 승부를 걸었다 싸구려 반미와 반기업으로 무엇을 얻겠다는 건가

www.chosun.com

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 22d

“Instead of the stars and stripes, he pinned a gold medallion in the shape of President Trump’s profile”

Koreanists watching the news coming out of America as it all sounds way to familiar…

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/s...

a close up of a stuffed monkey wearing a green shirt and blue jeans

ALT: a close up of a stuffed monkey wearing a green shirt and blue jeans

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Benjamin A. Engel

Dr. Mark P. Barry ☯︎ @drmarkpbarry.bsky.social · 26d

Jon Stewart's Post-Kimmel Primer on Free Speech in the Glorious Trump Era | The Daily Show www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GXN...

Jon Stewart's Post-Kimmel Primer on Free Speech in the Glorious Trump Era | The Daily Show

YouTube video by The Daily Show

www.youtube.com

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 27d

Just really sad to see what Trump is doing to America. Business decisions about cancel culture are one thing. Having the FCC policing political speech is another.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...

ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel Off Air for Charlie Kirk Comments

www.nytimes.com

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Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 28d

Anger at the US for the ICE raid on a Korean factory continues to boil. First-term lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party demand an official apology from the US and that Trump respect the KORUS FTA and end the tariffs on Korea. Pretty strong words

koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-09...

Rookie DP lawmakers demand U.S. apology over ICE raid

First-term lawmakers of the Democratic Party demanded the U.S. government formally apologize and take responsible follow-up measures for the confinement of 300 Korean workers in a U.S. Immigration and...

koreajoongangdaily.joins.com

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